1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hinge structure, and more particularly to a hinge structure with locking feature applied to an electronic device.
2. Related Art
With the progress of electronic technology, various portable electronic devices such as notebook computers, electronic dictionaries, and clamshell phones have become indispensable in people's work and daily life. Such an electronic product generally includes a display and a main body, and a hinge structure pivoted to the display and the main body serves as a rotating axle center between the display and the main body, such that the display and the main body are connected and rotate relative to each other through the hinge structure.
The portable electronic device is convenient to carry along, and can be taken out and used at any time any place. Meanwhile, due to the above characteristics, the portable electronic device may be easily stolen when the user pays less attention.
Currently, in order to prevent the portable electronic device from being stolen, a lock hole is opened in the case of the portable electronic device for securing an anti-theft lock. Taking a Kensington lock (K-lock) for example, the anti-theft lock includes a lock and a cable connected to an outer edge of the lock. The other end of the cable is secured to a fixed object (for example, a table leg or pillar) around the position where the computer is placed. When the T-shaped lock pin of the lock is inserted into the lock hole, a key may be inserted into the key hole of the lock to drive the T-shaped lock pin to rotate. In this manner, the T-shaped lock pin is retained within an inner end of the lock hole, and thus the anti-theft lock is connected to the portable computer as one piece. Therefore, the computer is confined to a certain position for fear of being stolen.
However, in most portable computers, the lock hole is usually opened at a position around the case where connection ports, such as audio cables and USB connection ports, of other computer peripherals are also disposed nearby, besides the lock hole. Therefore, when the portable computer is configured with connection ports of the peripherals, the user has to further confirm the position of the lock hole on the case, and avoid transmission lines of the peripherals inserted in the connection ports of the case, and in this way, the lock is secured in the lock hole, which it is quite inconvenient for the user.
Moreover, as for the anti-theft lock currently applied to portable electronic devices, it is impossible to get to know right away whether the anti-theft lock has been secured to the electronic device. Thus, the user has to confirm the locking effect by pulling the anti-theft lock. When the user repeatedly pulls the anti-theft lock, the lock hole configured on the portable electronic device may be deformed and expanded due to the abrasion against the lock or become loose relative to the portable electronic device. As a result, the anti-theft lock may not be able to lock the portable electronic device.